Week 24: July 20 - 26 (Eggplant)

So I officially finished my 6th month. I can't believe it. For the first time I felt like, "Wow, this is going to go by so fast." It could be because I'm staffed on a hundred things at work with all moving parts and it makes my day go by quickly. I think one of my big revelations this week was noticing how my feet hurt less when I wear low (2 inch) heels. I think wearing flats doesn't help the arch much. I guess even as a pregnant woman, I'm meant to be fashionable :) Other things for this week have been really taking my learning to the next level. I feel pretty comfortable with the pregnancy and decided to start reading about Labor & Delivery and Breastfeeding. I'm freaked out. Everyone knows L&D isn't a cakewalk, but I guess reading the actual details of cuts, tears, and blood is just unlike anything you could have ever imagined. Not to mention the items which you can't even fathom like the actual pain of the contractions and pushing. I learned that after the baby is born, you continue to push to remove the placenta (aka afterbirth). Wow, I guess Hollywood forgot to show us that! And Breastfeeding, my goodness, what a concept. I came to learn that most well bred women in Europe and Asia don't actually breastfeed for long periods of time because it's considered lower-class. Why use the boob when you can buy formula? I know, I know (I especially know because I worked at CDC and recall all the studies and emails) - Breastmilk is the best. It's full of nutrients, it builds immunity, it creates bonding, but I'm also trying to figure out how long to do it for and how to go back and forth between boob, breastpump, and bottle. Before pregnancy, I was committed to 12 months. Up until reading about the semantics, I was going to do it for 12 months. Now I'm not sure. I know I'd do it for 3 months (length of my maternity leave). Maybe I go boob only for the first 4 weeks and start pumping after 2 weeks to begin building a supply. Introduce a bottle at 4+ weeks and then alternate boob/bottle till 12 weeks (when I go back to work). Maybe still alternate, but using bottles more when I go back to work. Who knows. We're supposed to take a class in October, so I'll learn more then.

In other news, I'm upset by the fact that I love sleeping on my back and it's the only way I'm comfortable and truly relaxed. It's also the one place you should NEVER sleep at this point in the pregnancy. I wake up every morning panicked and full of guilt - especially if I wake up on my back. I don't care about stupid body pillows and devices...once a back sleeper, you can spend all the money you want on a pillow, it's not going to help. On a more positive note, I had my first official Nesting project of the pregnancy happen this week! I cleaned out two Huge boxes full of paper and other crap in the office. I still need to organize the outcome, but this is a great accomplishment - one I've been dreading for 4 years. I have so many other projects to get through before baby comes. Last but not least, I hung out with an old friend from high school and her husband this week. She is due 4 days before me and it's really cool to connect with someone over the fact that our pregnancies are practically identical - only difference is she's having a little boy. This pregnancy is ramping up and watch out for all the details!